When ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest.-Verse 22.

Fields in the East, instead of hedges, have ridges. In the corners they cannot easily work with the plough, and therefore prepare that part with a man-vetty, that is, " an earth-cutter," or large kind of hoe. The corn in these corners is seldom very productive, as the ridge for some time conceals it from the sun and other sources of nourishment; and the rice also in the vicinity, soon springing up, injures it by the shade. Under these circumstances, the people think but little of the corners; and were a person to be very particular, he would have the name of a stingy fellow.

From this view, it appears probable that the command was given in order to induce the owner to leave the little which was produced in the corners for the poor.

No farmer will allow any of his family to glean in the fields; the pittance left is always considered the property of the poor. In carrying the sheaves, all that falls is taken up by the gleaners. Should they be opposed, they curse their opposers, and say, "May this rice soon be parched!"-alluding to the custom of scattering parched rice in the funeral procession. They therefore pray that the rice may soon have to be parched for the funeral of the owner.

CHAP. XXIV.

To cause the lamps to burn continually.-Verse 2. The lamp kept before the idols is never allowed to go out.

CHAP. XXVI.

"Let him

I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.-Verse 31. accept an offering;" the Hebrew has for offering, "smell."-1 Sam. xxvi. 19. See also Gen. viii. 21; Amos v. 21; Eph. v. 2. The Hindoos believe, that odoriferous spices and drugs are most acceptable to the gods. For this reason they are much used in all the services of the temples.

But offerings which are destitute of scent are also said to give a sweet smell to the gods; thus, of a man who has made large presents to the temple, it is said, "The gods have had a fine smell from his offerings."

CHAP. XXVII.

No devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord.-Verse 28.

Whatever has been devoted to the gods can never be sold, redeemed, or applied to any other purpose.

In every village, there are chroniclers of strange events, of the visitations of the gods on men who did not act fairly and truly with their devoted things. There is a story generally received of "a deranged man, who in a lucid interval made a vow that he would give his gold beads to the temple of Siva, and he became quite well. After this, he refused to perform his vow, and he died." "Another person, who was very of a fever, devoted a goat to the gods, and immediately became well; but, some time after, he refused the gift, and his fever returned."

ill

When a child becomes sick, the parents forthwith inquire, "Have we given all the things which we had devoted to the gods?" The medical man also, (when the disease baffles his skill!) inquires, "Have you given all the things which you devoted to the gods?"

NUMBERS.

CHAP. V.

Command that they put out of the camp whosoever is defiled by the dead.-Verse 2..

All who attend a funeral procession or ceremony become unclean; and, before they return to their houses, must wash their persons and their clothes. But in the East females never attend funeral processions.

Neither those in the sacred office, nor of any other caste, can, under these circumstances, attend to any religious cerèmonies. They cannot marry, nor be present at any festivity, nor touch a sacred book. A person on hearing of the death of a son or other relative, immediately becomes unclean. The Brahmins are unclean twelve days; those of the royal family, sixteen; the merchants, twenty-two; and all other castes, thirty-two days.

The priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel.-Verse 17. A Hebrew woman accused of adultery, was to drink the water, and to say, "Amen!" to the curses which were pronounced by the priest. Then, if she were guilty, the water gave effect to the curse. (Verse 24.)

The Hindoos in a court of justice, after having repeated the formulary, drink holy water, priest,) to confirm their oath.

(which is administered by the

This water is brought from the

Ganges, or made sacred by the priests.

Thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell.-Verse 21.

The people often curse each other by saying, "Ah, thy belly shall become large;" meaning they shall have the dropsy, or some other complaint, to cause the enlargement.

CHAP. VI.

The priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram.-Verse 19.

The Heathen in their sacrifices do not offer boiled flesh either to gods or to devils. It is always roasted or prepared with spices. The cakes offered to Pulliar are made ready by putting them on a cloth, over the mouth of a vessel full of boiling water.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee.-Verse 26.

"As I came along the road, I met Rāman, and he lifted up his face upon me; but I knew not the end;" which means he looked pleasantly. Does a man complain of another who has ceased to look kindly upon him? he says, "Ah, my friend! you no longer lift up your countenance upon me."

CHAP. X.

Thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.-Verse 31.

An aged father says to his son, who wishes to go to some other village: "My son, leave me not in my old age; you are now my eyes.' "You are on the look-out for me; your eyes are sharp." It is said of a good servant, "He is eyes to his master."

CHAP. XI.

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. -Verse 5.

To an Englishman the want of these articles would not excite much regret; and he is surprised at the Israelites repining for them as for great delicacies.

The people of the East do not in general eat flesh, nor even fish; but when they can procure either of these, they consider it a luxury.

Cucumbers are eaten in abundance in hot weather, and melons are most delicious and plentiful.

H

I have never seen leeks in the East, and am doubtful whether they are to be found. But whether or not, there is much difference of opinion as to the translation of the word.

D'Oyly and Mant have a quotation to this effect: "Whether the following word, rendered 'leeks,' have that signification, may be doubted. Some think it was the lotus-which is a water-plant, a kind of water-lily, and which the Egyptians used to eat during the heats of summer."

In the "Universal History," it is said, that those "Egyptians who dwelt in the marshes fed on several plants, which annually grow, particularly the lotus, of which they made a sort of bread." (Vol. i. p. 486.) Of the Arabs also, in the same work, it is recorded: "They make a drink of the Egyptian lotus, which is very good for inward heat."*

The Tamul name of the lotus is the Tamari. The "Materia Medica," under the article Nelumbium Speciosum, says, "This plant is the true lotus of the Egyptians, and the Nymphea Nilufer of Sir William Jones."

Its beautiful and fragrant flower is sacred to Lechimy, the goddess of Maga Vishnoo.

It has a bulbous root, and is highly esteemed as an article of food. As it grows in tanks, it can only be had in the hottest weather, when the water is dried up; and in this we see a most gracious provision in allowing it to be taken when most required. Its cooling qualities are celebrated all over India; and the "Materia Medica" gives it this character: "This is an excellent root, and is prescribed medicinally, as cooling and demulcent." The natives eat it boiled or in curry, or make it into flour for gruels.

I am therefore of opinion, that it was the lotus of Egypt after which the Israelites were repining.

But now our soul is dried away.-Verse 6.

In great hunger or thirst the people say, "Our soul is withered." "More than this, sir, I cannot do; my spirit is withered within me." "What! when a man's soul is withered, is he not to complain?"

Savary, in his "Letters on Egypt," says, "The root is eaten by the inhabitants who live near the Lake Menzala." (Vol. viii.)